Letter to the Editor: Reject sweeping cuts to SNAP benefits in Farm Bill

Published
4:26 pm CDT, Wednesday, August 8, 2018

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Letter to the Editor: Reject sweeping cuts to SNAP benefits in Farm Bill

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Congress will soon be voting on a final version of the Farm Bill.

Both the House of Representatives and Senate versions of the Farm Bill continue strong, bipartisan support of international food assistance. However, the House bill cuts billions of dollars from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). If SNAP is cut, more than two million Americans will lose their benefits or see them reduced.

While the economy is booming for some and unemployment is low, wages have not increased enough to lift millions out of poverty. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which runs the program, about 2/3 of SNAP recipients are children, elderly or disabled and are not expected to work. The majority of those who can work, do work, but at wages that don’t cover basic necessities.

As a Christian, I believe it is my responsibility to protect people in need. While the economy has gotten better for some, a lot of families in the Metro East are still having a hard time making ends meet. I urge our local Congressional Representatives Rodney Davis, John Shimkus and Michael Bost to support a Farm Bill that continues strong funding for international food aid programs and rejects the broad, sweeping cuts to SNAP.